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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. current — of water
  6. fine — high quality
  7. current — electric
  8. present — a gift
  9. march — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — happening now
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — there
  24. bay — a horse colour

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