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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bound — certain
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. suit — in cards
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bound — tied together
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fan — a supporter

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