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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. date — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — in football
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — hurry
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. dip — to dunk

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