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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. rest — what's left
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. object — a thing
  12. bear — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. object — to protest
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rest — a break
  18. object — an aim

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