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

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. key — for a lock
  6. object — to protest
  7. band — a music group
  8. object — an aim
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. band — a ring
  16. key — in music
  17. date — the fruit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. object — a thing
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. chair — a leader
  24. key — the most important part

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