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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — a series
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. spell — magic
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — for a hammer

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