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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. current — of water
  4. toast — bread
  5. fine — all right
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. squash — the sport
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rash — a series
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. current — happening now
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. current — electric
  24. bear — the animal

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