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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bass — low music
  7. firm — decided
  8. court — of law
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — a company
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. toast — bread
  15. mate — a partner
  16. court — of a king
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. staff — a stick
  19. court — for sport
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mate — a friend
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. firm — steady

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