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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. toast — bread
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. march — the month
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. march — the month
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. march — music
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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