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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: kick · bear · wound · march · deal · rest · bulb · toast

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. march — the month
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. kick — in football
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. toast — bread
  8. march — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rest — a break
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. march — the month
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bulb — of a plant

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