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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. row — a line
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mug — a cup
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. row — to paddle
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. scale — size or range
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. scale — in music
  24. mug — a face

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