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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bear — the animal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rock — music
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mug — a face
  13. season — in sport
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mug — a cup
  16. tear — from crying
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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