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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 116 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — a company
  5. squash — the sport
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — to fit
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cap — a hat

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