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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stand — to bear
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. face — to confront
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — moving air

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