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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — clothes
  8. craft — a skill
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ball — a great time
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pound — a weight

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