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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. firm — decided
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bound — obliged
  6. firm — steady
  7. net — in sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bound — certain
  12. firm — a company
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. net — after costs
  17. present — a gift
  18. net — for catching
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. suit — clothes

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