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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · pound · cabinet · chair · pitcher · lie · sharp · deal

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. deal — to handle
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chair — a leader
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — clothes
  24. deal — a big deal

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