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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a path
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. track — to keep track
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chip — to eat
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. object — a thing
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — a trail
  22. track — a song
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. arm — part of the body

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