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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — a grade
  3. toast — bread
  4. mark — a trace
  5. firm — steady
  6. net — in sport
  7. last — finally
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. firm — decided
  12. net — for catching
  13. track — to keep track
  14. last — final
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. last — to go on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. track — a song
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — in cards
  22. firm — a company
  23. net — after costs
  24. track — a path

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