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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. toast — bread
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. deal — to handle
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hand — in cards
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hand — part of the body

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