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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · kid · wake · rest · deal · present

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — the time now
  3. wake — a trail
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. deal — to handle
  9. present — there
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kid — child
  14. present — a gift
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kid — to tease

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