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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. spring — of water
  5. chip — to eat
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mark — a grade
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spring — the season
  24. fine — a penalty

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