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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. row — a line
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. mate — to breed
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. snap — to click
  12. suit — clothes
  13. row — to paddle
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mate — a friend
  16. rash — hasty
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rash — a series
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. kid — child
  24. mate — a partner

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