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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bear — the animal
  3. swing — to play on
  4. plane — a tool
  5. land — a country
  6. fine — all right
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fine — high quality
  13. swing — in golf
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. swing — music
  17. land — ground
  18. suit — to fit
  19. land — to come down
  20. present — a gift
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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