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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ground — crushed
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ground — the earth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. object — a thing
  13. ground — a position
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. object — an aim
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. craft — boats
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — to protest
  24. roll — a list

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