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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. suit — to fit
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. tube — the underground
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — a container
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. capital — a city
  21. bear — the animal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bowl — to roll

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