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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — there
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. suit — clothes
  7. present — the time now
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. scale — in music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. present — a gift
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wind — moving air
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — to put up with

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