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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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Word bank
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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: present · saw · hand · suit · cabinet · stand · rock · pit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hand — help
  4. rock — music
  5. present — there
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. present — the time now
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — a gift
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. saw — the tool
  24. suit — in cards

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