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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. dip — to sink
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cue — a signal
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cue — for pool
  11. march — the month
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. march — the month
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rush — hurry
  16. march — music
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. racket — a loud noise

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