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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. firm — steady
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — to tease
  10. firm — a company
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ground — crushed
  13. kid — child
  14. rule — a law
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ground — the earth
  17. staff — a stick
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — a position
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. rule — government
  24. racket — for tennis

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