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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ground — crushed
  15. pop — soda
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pop — music
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. ground — a position
  23. cap — a lid
  24. dip — to dunk

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