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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. board — to get on
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bear — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. squash — to crush
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — a grade
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wind — moving air
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. scale — in music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. temple — a place of worship

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