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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. degree — from a university
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. plane — a tool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fine — all right
  15. degree — temperature
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fine — high quality
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. straw — a straw man

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