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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hand — help
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bound — tied together
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bound — certain
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. suit — in cards
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. tube — a container
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. foot — the bottom

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