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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — a trace
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. spell — magic
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mug — to rob
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. snap — to click
  20. rash — hasty
  21. spell — letters
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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