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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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. key — in music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — the most important part
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. last — to go on
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. tube — the underground
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — a container
  16. bear — the animal
  17. last — finally
  18. key — for a lock
  19. spell — a short time
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. spell — magic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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