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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — a group
  6. spell — a short time
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — to fit
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bulb — for light
  11. net — in sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. club — for golf
  14. spell — magic
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. staff — employees
  17. march — the month
  18. spell — letters
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. march — the month
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — music
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bulb — for light

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