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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — music
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. swing — to play on
  8. game — wild animals
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a match
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wound — an injury
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. wound — an injury
  21. swing — in golf
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bear — to put up with

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