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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. charge — a price
  8. pop — to visit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. charge — in control
  14. pop — soda
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pop — music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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