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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. suit — in cards
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. toast — bread
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. date — the fruit
  11. spring — a coil
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — of a king
  17. craft — boats
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. spring — of water
  20. court — for sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. spring — the season
  23. suit — to fit
  24. firm — steady

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