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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ground — crushed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ground — the earth
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spring — the season
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. spring — of water
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. date — the fruit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ground — a position
  24. spring — a coil

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