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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mine — for digging
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. key — in music
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bear — to put up with

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