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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. club — for golf
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spring — of water
  11. chip — to eat
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bear — the animal
  16. club — for dancing
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chip — for betting
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. club — a group
  24. spring — the season

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