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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — for sport
  8. mug — to rob
  9. suit — to fit
  10. court — of a king
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. court — of law
  15. present — a gift
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mug — a face
  18. bear — the animal
  19. capital — a city
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. capital — money
  22. present — there
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. present — the time now

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