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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. swing — in golf
  4. key — the most important part
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bound — certain
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — to confront
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bound — obliged
  20. key — for a lock
  21. swing — music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. key — in music
  24. bowl — a football final

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