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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. court — of law
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pitch — completely
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. court — for sport
  8. last — finally
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wound — an injury
  15. court — of a king
  16. last — to go on
  17. wound — an injury
  18. last — final
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. snap — to click
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com