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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 120 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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mug — a face
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. root — the cause
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kid — child
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. root — of a plant
  12. kid — to tease
  13. root — of a word
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mug — to rob
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pass — a permit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bear — the animal

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