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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fine — all right
  5. mate — to breed
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bear — the animal
  20. capital — a city
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fine — high quality
  23. capital — money
  24. bear — the animal

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