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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. last — final
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. tear — to rip
  7. last — to go on
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. degree — from a university
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mug — a face
  16. tear — from crying
  17. staff — employees
  18. degree — an amount
  19. suit — clothes
  20. degree — temperature
  21. last — finally
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mug — to rob
  24. staff — a stick

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