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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rest — what's left
  3. content — happy
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. shower — rain
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rest — a break
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stand — for spectators

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