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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — what's left
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. cap — a lid
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rush — hurry
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rest — a break
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cap — a hat
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rush — to hurry

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