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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — soda
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. club — for dancing
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. club — for golf
  13. pop — to visit
  14. club — a group
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. pop — music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bat — the animal

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