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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  3. sharp — clever
  4. band — a music group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. band — a ring
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pound — a weight
  23. saw — the tool
  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