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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. swing — music
  7. spell — magic
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rest — what's left
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rest — a break
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. capital — a city
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mouse — the animal

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