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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pound — a weight
  5. firm — decided
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mate — a friend
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — clothes
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mate — a partner
  16. capital — money
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. firm — steady
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. capital — a city
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pound — to hit hard

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