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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. object — a thing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fine — high quality
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bore — to tire
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. file — a tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. file — a line of people
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. file — a document

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