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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. deal — to handle
  3. board — to get on
  4. swing — to play on
  5. file — a line of people
  6. swing — in golf
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. file — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. file — a document
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a dance
  24. swing — music

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