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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pop — to visit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — for dancing
  6. foot — a measure
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. club — a group
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pop — soda
  20. rush — hurry
  21. club — for golf
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pop — 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