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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. spell — a short time
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. spell — magic
  5. firm — decided
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. spell — letters
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — a stone
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stock — shares
  17. firm — steady
  18. rock — music
  19. firm — a company
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bear — the animal

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