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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. season — of the year
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rash — a series
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. toast — bread
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. season — in sport
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pit — in a race
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rash — hasty
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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