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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bound — obliged
  7. tear — from crying
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. tear — from crying
  11. staff — employees
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bound — tied together
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. drill — a practice
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. drill — army training
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — certain
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. staff — a stick
  24. ball — a great time

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