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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — magic
  3. pit — in a race
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. degree — from a university
  9. march — the month
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. march — music
  12. spell — letters
  13. file — a document
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spell — a short time
  16. degree — an amount
  17. march — the month
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pit — a hole
  20. file — a tool
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. suit — to fit

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