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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. net — after costs
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. content — the amount
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — an aim
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. object — to protest
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. content — happy
  13. rash — a series
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. rock — music
  22. object — a thing
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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