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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 116 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. object — a thing
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. object — to protest
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. land — a country
  10. land — to come down
  11. row — to paddle
  12. land — ground
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rule — a law
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. object — an aim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. row — a line
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rule — government
  24. deal — an agreement

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