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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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468
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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. rest — what's left
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rest — a break
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fine — high quality
  8. toast — bread
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. capital — a city
  13. bore — to tire
  14. foot — a measure
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bore — to drill
  21. capital — money
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bore — gave birth
  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