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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. clip — to cut
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. land — a country
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. craft — a skill
  10. clip — for paper
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — low music
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. court — of a king
  18. craft — boats
  19. court — of law
  20. clip — a video
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. land — ground
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. land — to come down

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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