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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: bear · roll · fall · staff · fine · suit · ball · wake

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. staff — employees
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bear — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fall — the season
  14. roll — a cake
  15. ball — a dance
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fine — all right
  18. roll — a list
  19. suit — clothes
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fall — to drop
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wake — a trail
  24. fine — a penalty

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