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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. object — an aim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. present — a gift
  8. wake — a trail
  9. key — in music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cell — a phone
  12. object — to protest
  13. mug — a face
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. object — a thing
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. present — the time now
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bear — the animal

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