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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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. prune — to trim
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — a permit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. face — to point toward
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bear — the animal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ball — a great time
  17. face — to confront
  18. prune — to trim

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