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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. suit — in cards
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. squash — the sport
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. squash — to crush
  14. roll — a list
  15. drill — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. drill — a practice
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. drill — army training
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bear — to put up with

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