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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rock — music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. spring — the season
  8. rule — government
  9. swing — music
  10. rule — a law
  11. shower — rain
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. present — a gift
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rock — a stone
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. swing — to play on
  20. present — the time now
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. spring — of water

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