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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 will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bass — the fish
  7. suit — clothes
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — in cards
  11. date — the fruit
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. game — a match
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. chair — a leader
  19. kid — child
  20. bass — low music
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bear — to put up 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