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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ground — the earth
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ground — a position
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. toast — bread
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cabinet — ministers

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