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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fine — all right
  5. pop — music
  6. snap — to click
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pop — to visit
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fine — high quality
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bear — the animal
  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