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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 120 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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. saw — the tool
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. scale — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. present — a gift
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — size or range

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