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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bear — the animal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — wild animals
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wax — to grow
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. toast — bread

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