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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — for pool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hand — help
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cue — a signal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. date — on the calendar

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