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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. present — there
  21. rock — music
  22. wake — a trail
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rash — a series

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