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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — all right
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — a break
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — the earth

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