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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pit — in a race
  5. firm — steady
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. pit — a hole
  9. firm — decided
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. spell — letters
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. spell — magic
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — after costs
  21. deal — to handle
  22. squash — the sport
  23. firm — a company
  24. squash — the vegetable

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