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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. press — to push
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bass — low music
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. sharp — clever
  23. press — newspapers
  24. wound — an injury

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