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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. march — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. scale — in music
  6. charge — a price
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. charge — in control
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pop — soda
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pop — music
  16. march — the month
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bound — certain
  24. march — the month

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