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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cap — a lid
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. staff — employees
  11. cap — of ice
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mark — a grade
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. staff — employees
  18. rush — hurry
  19. staff — a stick
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — the animal

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