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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rest — a break
  3. firm — a company
  4. key — for a lock
  5. present — there
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. key — in music
  11. present — a gift
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rest — what's left
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — steady
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — hasty
  21. sharp — clever
  22. present — the time now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — decided

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