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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. kid — to tease
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. file — a document
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kid — child
  18. bear — the animal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — hurry
  22. file — a tool
  23. object — a thing
  24. rush — a thrill

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