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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pit — a hole
  8. present — the time now
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. present — a gift
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wax — to grow
  14. drill — army training
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. present — there
  23. drill — the tool
  24. snap — to click

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