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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. firm — steady
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — a company
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. net — for catching
  11. rock — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. firm — decided
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. season — in sport
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mug — a face
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bear — the animal

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