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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. swing — to play on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. firm — decided
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. saw — the tool

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