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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. can — a tin
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fine — high quality
  12. tear — from crying
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — in football
  18. foot — a measure
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. game — a match

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