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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cue — a signal
  4. lean — thin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cap — of ice
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cue — a hint
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cue — for pool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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