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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. land — to come down
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mug — a face
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. degree — temperature
  12. land — a country
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rash — a series
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mug — a cup
  18. land — ground
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — to fit
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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