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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — a match
  10. bound — obliged
  11. game — wild animals
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. file — a tool
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. file — a document
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stand — to bear
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — the tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — in cards

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