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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: firm · jam · mouse · suit · face · game · drill · cap

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. game — wild animals
  6. firm — a company
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cap — a lid
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cap — a hat
  13. drill — army training
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. firm — decided
  16. drill — a practice
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. drill — the tool
  19. face — to confront
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cap — of ice
  23. firm — steady
  24. game — a match

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