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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mate — to breed
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mate — a friend
  8. tube — a container
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. tube — the underground
  11. deal — to handle
  12. saw — the tool
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. key — the most important part
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mate — a partner
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bear — the animal

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