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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. race — humankind
  8. cap — a hat
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. race — the arms race
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. saw — the tool
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. saw — the tool
  21. race — a contest
  22. sharp — clever
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stand — on your feet

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