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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — the fish
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pitch — completely

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