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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — an amount
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. degree — temperature
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. last — finally
  24. bear — the animal

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