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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. staff — a stick
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mate — to breed
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bear — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mate — a friend
  13. file — a tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. track — to keep track
  21. staff — employees
  22. mate — a partner
  23. staff — employees
  24. file — a document

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