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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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Word bank
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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. snap — to click
  3. deal — to handle
  4. spring — of water
  5. board — to get on
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. spring — the season
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pit — a hole
  20. spring — a coil
  21. board — a committee
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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