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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spell — magic
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. track — a song
  10. present — there
  11. track — a path
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. spell — a short time
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. track — to keep track

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