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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. club — a group
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — a match
  10. band — a music group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. toast — bread
  15. game — wild animals
  16. band — a ring
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. club — for golf

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