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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  3. rest — what's left
  4. club — for golf
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. march — the month
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — in cards
  9. rest — a break
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bass — low music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rest — what's left
  16. club — a group
  17. degree — an amount
  18. march — music
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bass — the fish
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. march — the month
  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