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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pass — a permit
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. suit — to fit
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. swing — to play on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. can — a tin
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. swing — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. object — a thing
  22. rash — a series
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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