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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor 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. cabinet — ministers
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. firm — decided
  5. swing — in golf
  6. firm — a company
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — to play on
  11. spell — letters
  12. swing — music
  13. firm — steady
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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