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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. clip — a video
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. cue — a signal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. clip — for paper
  11. cue — for pool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cue — a hint
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. row — to paddle
  16. suit — in cards
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wind — moving air
  22. clip — to cut
  23. wind — moving air
  24. row — a line

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