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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pop — music
  7. ground — a position
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pop — to visit
  10. roll — a cake
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — a trail
  13. deal — to handle
  14. ground — the earth
  15. firm — decided
  16. roll — a list
  17. firm — a company
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — steady

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