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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. field — farmland
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — a break
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cue — a hint
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wound — an injury

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