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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. swing — music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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