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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cell — in biology
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bore — to drill
  15. content — happy
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cell — a phone
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. content — the amount
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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