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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. firm — decided
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — government
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. net — in sport
  8. mate — to breed
  9. band — a ring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mate — a friend
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rule — a law
  21. suit — in cards
  22. net — after costs
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. net — for catching

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