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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — music
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. wake — a trail
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. swing — in golf
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. hand — in cards
  23. chest — of your body
  24. hand — help

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