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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. last — final
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. suit — clothes
  7. last — finally
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. club — for golf
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. content — the amount
  12. club — a group
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — to go on
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bear — the animal
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. roll — a cake

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