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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wind — moving air
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. spring — the season
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wake — a trail
  13. foot — a measure
  14. lean — thin
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — of water

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