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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stock — goods
  4. saw — the tool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. date — the fruit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — shares
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pitcher — a jug

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