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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a path
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a song
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kid — to tease
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. suit — clothes
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bear — the animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kid — child
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bulb — of a plant

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