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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stock — shares
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. spell — letters
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stock — goods
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. spell — magic
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cabinet — ministers

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