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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. season — in sport
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ball — a dance
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bat — the animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cap — a lid
  24. season — to add flavour

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