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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. suit — clothes
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — high quality
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. suit — to fit
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. branch — a division
  20. roll — a list
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bear — 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