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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pop — music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pop — to visit
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — after costs
  9. staff — a stick
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — soda
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. net — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. date — the fruit
  20. staff — employees
  21. net — for catching
  22. snap — to click
  23. can — a tin
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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