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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rock — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — to pay attention

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