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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · tear · bear · present · firm · swing

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. swing — to play on
  5. tear — from crying
  6. present — a gift
  7. swing — in golf
  8. present — there
  9. firm — decided
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. firm — a company
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. firm — steady
  17. swing — music
  18. bowl — a football final

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