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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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 — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. hand — in cards
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stock — shares
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. march — the month
  9. stock — goods
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. hand — help
  14. can — a tin
  15. march — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pop — soda
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. march — the month
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  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