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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. hand — in cards
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — a permit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for golf
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rest — a break
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hand — help
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pass — to spend time

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