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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wound — an injury
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pit — a hole
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — a container
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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