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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bear — the animal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. spring — of water
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spring — the season
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. track — a path
  20. spring — a coil
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stand — on your feet

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