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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bear — the animal
  3. club — for dancing
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. club — for golf
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fall — the season
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a music group
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — of ice
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a great time
  20. club — a group
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ball — a dance
  23. band — a ring
  24. bear — to put up with

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