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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. march — the month
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. degree — an amount
  6. march — music
  7. field — for sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. firm — decided
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — to grow
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. field — a subject
  17. degree — temperature
  18. field — farmland
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. bear — the animal
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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