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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. club — for golf
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kick — in football
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. mug — a face
  15. club — a group
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. club — for dancing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hide — to keep secret

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