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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. clip — a video
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. face — to confront
  14. stock — goods
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stock — shares
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ball — a great time
  20. clip — for paper
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pass — a permit
  24. clip — to cut

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