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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 120 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rash — a series
  8. bass — low music
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bass — the fish
  15. tube — a container
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bulb — for light

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