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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 116 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bound — tied together
  4. scale — size or range
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — in biology
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. hand — help
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. firm — a company
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bound — certain
  19. fine — high quality
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fine — all right
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. fine — a penalty

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