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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. march — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. season — in sport
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. march — the month
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. toast — bread
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. content — the amount
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. season — of the year
  21. march — the month
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. content — happy
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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