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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fork — in a road
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. chest — a box
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. chest — of your body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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