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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. band — a music group
  3. toast — bread
  4. bear — the animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bear — the animal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. band — a ring
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. cue — a signal
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. tube — a container
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rest — a break
  23. net — in sport
  24. tube — the underground

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