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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. object — to protest
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — an aim
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mate — a friend
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — a thing

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