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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — steady
  3. rock — music
  4. firm — a company
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. patient — a sick person

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