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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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 — the animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. prune — to trim
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spring — of water
  8. race — humankind
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. race — a contest
  13. spring — the season
  14. race — the arms race
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bear — to put up with
  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