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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pit — in a race
  10. chest — of your body
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fork — in a road
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. key — in music
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bear — the animal

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