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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — in cards
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. key — for a lock
  10. spell — a short time
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wound — an injury
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. scale — in music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spell — magic
  21. dip — to sink
  22. scale — size or range
  23. key — in music
  24. spell — letters

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