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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitch — completely
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hand — help
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. toast — bread
  15. dip — to sink
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. hand — in cards
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pop — soda
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. racket — for tennis

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