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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — in football
  7. pop — music
  8. track — a path
  9. stand — to bear
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bear — the animal
  13. snap — to click
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pop — to visit
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. track — a song
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pop — soda
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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