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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. net — after costs
  3. last — final
  4. bear — the animal
  5. last — to go on
  6. tear — to rip
  7. suit — clothes
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. tear — from crying
  10. date — the fruit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. press — to push
  13. last — finally
  14. key — the most important part
  15. press — newspapers
  16. net — for catching
  17. key — in music
  18. tear — from crying
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. key — for a lock
  22. press — a publisher
  23. net — in sport
  24. bear — the animal

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