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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. swing — music
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. swing — in golf
  10. net — for catching
  11. root — of a word
  12. net — after costs
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cue — a signal
  15. root — of a plant
  16. lean — to bend
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — the cause
  21. key — in music
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

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