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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cell — a phone
  11. roll — a list
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. roll — a cake
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. cell — in biology
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. kick — in football
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. jam — a tight spot

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