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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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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: cap · track · suit · chair · sharp · march · rush · fall

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. track — a path
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cap — a hat
  7. march — music
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rush — hurry
  10. track — a song
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fall — to drop
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. march — the month
  15. chair — a leader
  16. fall — to drop
  17. track — to keep track
  18. march — the month
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. fall — the season
  21. cap — of ice
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cap — a lid
  24. chair — to sit on

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