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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. march — the month
  4. mug — to rob
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. toast — bread
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. march — music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chip — for betting
  22. march — the month
  23. mug — a cup
  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