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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. field — for sport
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — clothes
  6. net — for catching
  7. rock — music
  8. kick — in football
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. net — in sport
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bear — the animal
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. field — farmland
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. field — a subject
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rock — a stone

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