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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 120 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mate — a partner
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cap — of ice
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cap — a lid
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rash — a series
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cap — a hat
  18. row — a line
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — a container
  23. mate — to breed
  24. deal — a big deal

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