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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. spring — a coil
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mate — a partner
  9. degree — from a university
  10. ball — a great time
  11. spring — the season
  12. degree — an amount
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. object — an aim
  16. bear — the animal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. spring — of water
  19. squash — the sport
  20. object — to protest
  21. suit — to fit
  22. object — a thing
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mate — a friend

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