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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. swing — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. capital — money
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. swing — to play on
  15. date — the fruit
  16. capital — a city
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. swing — in golf
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mark — to pay attention

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