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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. band — a ring
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bound — certain
  12. face — to confront
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. band — a music group
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bound — tied together
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pit — a hole
  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