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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · fan · jam · suit · firm · bear · mine · squash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. firm — a company
  6. suit — clothes
  7. firm — decided
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mate — to breed
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. squash — the sport
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bear — to put up with

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