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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 · mouse · present · bay · sharp · stand · wound · row

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wound — an injury
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. sharp — clever
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — clothes
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. present — the time now
  15. wound — an injury
  16. present — there
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. present — a gift

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