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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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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 · leaves · mark · race · deal · foot · jam · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. present — a gift
  10. deal — to handle
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. mark — a trace
  18. suit — in cards
  19. present — there
  20. suit — to fit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. race — a contest
  24. mark — a grade

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