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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — in sport
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. toast — bread
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. can — a tin
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — the animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. saw — the tool

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