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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. prune — to trim
  6. march — music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. march — the month
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pound — a weight
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. saw — the tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a dance
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — to hit hard

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