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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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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: fine · stick · suit · rest · pop · bay · game · land

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pop — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. land — to come down
  9. game — a match
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pop — to visit
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pop — soda
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — a break
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rest — what's left
  21. land — a country
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rest — what's left
  24. land — ground

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