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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. ball — a round shape
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. snap — to click
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ball — a great time
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a cake
  13. ball — a dance
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. board — a committee
  21. roll — a list
  22. board — to get on
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. sharp — clever

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