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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. band — a ring
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. lie — to recline
  5. band — a music group
  6. suit — in cards
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. key — in music
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. straw — dry grass

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