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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mark — a grade
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mate — to breed

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