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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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. bark — a dog's sound
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — for pool
  6. spring — of water
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bark — to shout
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cue — a hint
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cue — a signal
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — to fit

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