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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. pop — soda
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pop — to visit
  6. band — a ring
  7. suit — to fit
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fork — in a road
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. land — ground
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. land — a country
  16. band — a music group
  17. pop — music
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. fine — all right
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bear — the animal
  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