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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lean — thin
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. kick — in football
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. row — to paddle
  11. fine — all right
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lean — to bend
  14. prune — to trim
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. row — a line
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. prune — to trim
  24. arm — a part of something

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