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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. court — of a king
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. court — for sport
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. ball — a great time
  17. branch — a division
  18. firm — steady
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. court — of law
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. firm — a company
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wake — before a funeral

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