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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chest — a box
  3. cap — a lid
  4. swing — music
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — to fit
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. cap — of ice
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rush — hurry
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chest — of your body
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wind — to turn a key

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