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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. object — an aim
  4. rest — a break
  5. ball — a dance
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. chest — a box
  10. object — a thing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chest — of your body
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. object — to protest
  18. rock — a stone
  19. snap — to click
  20. rock — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ball — a great time
  24. chest — of your body

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