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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. spell — a short time
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rock — music
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chip — to eat
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spell — magic
  23. degree — from a university
  24. nail — for a hammer

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