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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pit — in a race
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pit — a hole
  16. saw — the tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bear — the animal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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