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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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. prune — to trim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bat — the animal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. deal — an agreement

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