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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lean — thin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cap — a lid
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cap — of ice
  12. snap — to click
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. chip — to eat
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. cap — a hat

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