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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cap — of ice
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. row — a line
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitch — completely
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. board — a committee
  24. cap — a hat

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