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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.

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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rule — a law
  10. mug — a face
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ground — a position
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mug — a cup
  22. spell — letters
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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