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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lean — thin
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. band — a ring
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. file — a document
  9. bear — the animal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. march — music
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. march — the month
  17. lean — to bend
  18. suit — to fit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a music group
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. march — the month

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