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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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pop — soda
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. net — in sport
  9. craft — a skill
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. craft — boats
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. net — for catching
  18. rule — a law
  19. suit — to fit
  20. net — after costs
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — music
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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