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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. firm — steady
  3. mug — to rob
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — the time now
  8. firm — a company
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mug — a face
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hand — help
  16. bear — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. firm — decided
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. spell — magic
  23. present — there
  24. racket — for tennis

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