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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. race — the arms race
  6. vault — a safe
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bound — certain
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bound — tied together
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bound — obliged
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bass — low music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mark — a grade
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bass — the fish

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