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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. kick — in football
  10. rock — music
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. board — to get on
  20. pit — in a race
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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