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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: stand · sharp · leaves · mate · snap · suit · ball · pitch

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. ball — a dance
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mate — a partner

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