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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. fine — high quality
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. tube — the underground
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. club — for golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. prune — to trim
  16. swing — music
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bear — the animal
  19. toast — bread
  20. swing — in golf
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fine — all right
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kick — in football

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