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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pit — in a race
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — a company
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pit — a hole
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rush — hurry
  14. firm — steady
  15. rest — a break
  16. bore — to tire
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. key — in music
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rest — what's left

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