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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. track — a song
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — a tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pit — a hole
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pit — in a race
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cold — an illness
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cold — not warm
  22. track — a path
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — to put up with

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