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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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. mouse — for a computer
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mark — a trace
  9. last — finally
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rock — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — help
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cold — an illness
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. hand — part of the body

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