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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: kid · mark · wake · toast · jam · bear · stick · row

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. toast — bread
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. row — a line
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. row — to paddle
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kid — child
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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