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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. swing — music
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. object — a thing
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cell — in biology
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cell — a phone
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. band — a ring
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. band — a music group
  23. swing — in golf
  24. object — an aim

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