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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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Word bank
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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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 — to put up with
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pit — a hole
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. current — electric
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kick — in football
  12. present — the time now
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — happening now
  16. tube — a container
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. tube — the underground
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — the animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. kick — with a leg
  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