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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stand — to bear
  9. suit — in cards
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cap — of ice
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. swing — music

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