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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bear — the animal
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mate — a partner
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. lean — thin
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bass — low music
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. hand — help

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