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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bear — the animal
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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