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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 120 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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Word bank
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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: game · bear · pass · suit · chest · straw · bowl · racket

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pass — a permit
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. chest — a box
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. chest — of your body
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. chest — of your body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bear — the animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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