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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mate — a partner
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — decided
  6. charge — a price
  7. tube — a container
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mate — a friend
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mate — to breed
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. charge — in control
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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