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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — magic
  4. club — a group
  5. season — of the year
  6. spell — a short time
  7. chest — of your body
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. race — humankind
  11. bear — the animal
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — clothes
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. race — the arms race
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bear — the animal
  19. spell — letters
  20. chest — of your body
  21. season — in sport
  22. club — for dancing
  23. chest — a box
  24. club — for golf

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