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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. content — the amount
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — a trail
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bass — low music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. hand — help
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bear — the animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bass — the fish
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bear — the animal
  24. content — happy

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