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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fine — all right
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. can — a tin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fine — high quality
  14. suit — in cards
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — clothes

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