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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — to fit
  3. capital — a city
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ball — a great time
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bear — the animal
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. tear — from crying
  14. face — to point toward
  15. tear — from crying
  16. capital — money
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bear — the animal
  19. face — to confront
  20. suit — clothes
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ball — a dance
  23. staff — a stick
  24. ball — a round shape

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