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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. hand — help
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. present — the time now
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. present — a gift
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. present — there

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