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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: season · roll · toast · tear · bear · deal · patient · swing

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. season — in sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tear — from crying
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tear — to rip
  12. swing — in golf
  13. season — of the year
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. tear — from crying
  19. deal — to handle
  20. swing — to play on
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. toast — bread
  24. roll — a list

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