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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.

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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pit — in a race
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pit — a hole
  5. march — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. deal — to handle
  8. march — the month
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. dip — to sink
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. march — the month
  24. land — a country

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