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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. pound — a weight
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. scale — in music
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. scale — size or range
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. chair — to sit on

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