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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. drill — the tool
  7. plane — a tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — shares
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mug — a face
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stock — goods
  24. calf — of the leg

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