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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — steady
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bear — the animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — a partner
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. mate — a friend
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. kick — with a leg

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