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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spell — letters
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — to fit
  7. spell — a short time
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. last — to go on
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. spell — magic
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — finally
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. last — final

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