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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. net — in sport
  8. pop — music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. prune — to trim
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. net — for catching
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cap — a lid
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — soda
  24. prune — to trim

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