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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. capital — money
  4. present — a gift
  5. firm — a company
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. firm — decided
  12. bat — the animal
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wake — a trail
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. firm — steady
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. capital — a city
  23. present — there
  24. suit — in cards

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