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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. file — a document
  3. suit — in cards
  4. face — to point toward
  5. kid — to tease
  6. cue — a hint
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chair — a leader
  9. file — a line of people
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. face — part of the head
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. face — to confront
  16. cue — a signal
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kick — in football
  19. kid — child
  20. cue — for pool
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. file — a tool

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