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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. present — a gift
  8. season — of the year
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wind — moving air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — there
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. kick — in football
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. season — in sport
  24. kick — a thrill

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