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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bore — to tire
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pop — soda
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bore — to drill
  14. clip — a video
  15. fine — high quality
  16. clip — to cut
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pop — music
  20. fine — all right
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — decided
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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