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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. date — the fruit
  6. toast — bread
  7. lean — thin
  8. mug — a face
  9. bear — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mug — a cup

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