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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — soda
  7. kid — to tease
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pop — music
  15. kid — child
  16. pop — to visit
  17. capital — money
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. capital — a city
  24. suit — to fit

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