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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. kid — to tease
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kid — child
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fine — all right
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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