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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. season — of the year
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. tear — to rip
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. tear — from crying
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. club — a group
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. club — for golf
  17. snap — to click
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. season — in sport

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