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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. present — there
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. suit — in cards
  6. firm — steady
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. last — finally
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. last — final
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — the time now
  24. last — to go on

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