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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pitch — completely
  5. spell — letters
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. season — of the year
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. spell — magic
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ball — a dance
  16. season — in sport
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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