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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 116 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. spell — letters
  15. charge — in control
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — electricity
  19. net — for catching
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. game — wild animals
  23. charge — a price
  24. game — a match

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