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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 124 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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. ball — a round shape
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bound — obliged
  11. present — there
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a trace
  14. present — a gift
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. present — the time now
  19. roll — a list
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. lie — an untruth

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