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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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 — to put up with
  2. kid — to tease
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. mug — to rob
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. key — in music
  15. current — happening now
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. key — for a lock
  19. kid — child
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  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