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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: last · coach · date · bore · can · firm · lie · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. date — the fruit
  3. last — to go on
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. firm — decided
  6. can — to be able to
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. can — a tin
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — final
  19. bore — to tire
  20. last — finally
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  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