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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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pop — music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pop — soda
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pop — to visit
  14. tube — a container
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bear — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bear — the animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rock — music

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