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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. present — the time now
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. present — a gift
  7. clip — for paper
  8. present — there
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. clip — a video
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rash — a series
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. clip — to cut
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rash — hasty

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