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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mate — a friend
  4. fall — the season
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. march — music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fall — to drop
  12. march — the month
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ground — a position
  15. fall — to drop
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cue — for pool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. march — the month
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mate — to breed

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