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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. foot — a measure
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bear — the animal
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ball — a dance
  17. date — the fruit
  18. ground — the earth
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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