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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mate — a partner
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mate — to breed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. firm — steady
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — a company
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — decided
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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