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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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 — to put up with
  2. net — after costs
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. net — for catching
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fine — all right
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fine — high quality
  15. land — a country
  16. rush — hurry
  17. ball — a great time
  18. land — ground
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. net — in sport
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bowl — a dish
  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