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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mate — a friend
  4. suit — to fit
  5. land — a country
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. land — to come down
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pass — a permit
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. land — ground
  23. suit — clothes
  24. racket — for tennis

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