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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. firm — steady
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ground — the earth
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. race — a contest
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ground — crushed
  16. firm — a company
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ground — a position
  23. race — humankind
  24. firm — decided

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