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

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bear — the animal
  4. march — the month
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. march — music
  9. present — the time now
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. present — a gift
  14. rush — hurry
  15. track — a path
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — a song

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