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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cap — a hat
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bore — to drill
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cap — a lid

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