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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — to come down
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. can — a tin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cap — of ice
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cap — a lid
  13. present — the time now
  14. cap — a hat
  15. present — a gift
  16. land — ground
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. foot — a measure
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. land — a country
  24. present — there

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