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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. present — a gift
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rush — hurry
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mate — a partner
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chip — to eat
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mate — to breed
  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