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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bat — the animal
  6. craft — boats
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pass — a permit
  10. roll — a cake
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. roll — a list
  15. game — wild animals
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rest — what's left
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. rest — a break
  23. track — a song
  24. bat — for baseball

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