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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. field — a subject
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. swing — in golf
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. present — the time now
  12. field — for sport
  13. present — there
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. present — a gift
  22. field — farmland
  23. pop — soda
  24. kick — with a leg

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