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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. object — to protest
  9. wind — moving air
  10. object — an aim
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fork — in a road
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fall — the season
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wind — moving air

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