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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. file — a document
  8. spring — a coil
  9. current — happening now
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — a tin
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spring — of water
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a grade
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. can — a tin
  19. file — a line of people
  20. current — of water
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. current — electric
  23. mark — a trace
  24. can — to be able to

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