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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. branch — a division
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. perch — the fish
  8. key — for a lock
  9. kid — to tease
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cap — a hat
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fine — all right
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fine — high quality
  20. kid — child
  21. suit — to fit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cap — a lid
  24. suit — clothes

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