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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bear — the animal
  4. present — there
  5. stock — shares
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rush — hurry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wound — an injury
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stock — goods
  14. present — a gift
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rush — a thrill

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