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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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ground — a position
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. ground — the earth
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pitch — completely
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. wax — to grow
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. snap — to click
  24. fan — a supporter

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