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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cold — an illness
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mark — a trace
  6. suit — in cards
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mark — a grade
  9. season — in sport
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. key — the most important part
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. key — in music
  22. cold — not warm
  23. rush — hurry
  24. season — of the year

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