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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a face
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rash — a series
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — an agreement

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