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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. land — a country
  3. firm — a company
  4. fine — high quality
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. fine — all right
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cue — a hint
  17. suit — in cards
  18. firm — decided
  19. rush — hurry
  20. firm — steady
  21. land — to come down
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fine — a penalty

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