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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. craft — boats
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. saw — the tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. snap — to click
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — a measure
  21. saw — the tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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