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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — clothes
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. spell — a short time
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. spell — letters
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pound — a weight
  14. staff — employees
  15. spell — magic
  16. ground — crushed
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bound — tied together
  21. hand — in cards
  22. ground — a position
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — in cards

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