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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a document
  4. face — to point toward
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. march — music
  8. court — for sport
  9. file — a tool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. face — to confront
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. key — in music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. key — for a lock
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. face — part of the head
  24. key — the most important part

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