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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — a permit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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