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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mate — a partner
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mate — to breed
  6. firm — decided
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — of the year
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mate — a friend
  16. firm — a company
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. season — in sport

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