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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. band — a ring
  10. can — a tin
  11. band — a music group
  12. mate — a partner
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mate — to breed
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. can — a tin
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. staff — employees
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. staff — employees

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