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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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 — to put up with
  2. rock — a stone
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rock — music
  5. shower — to wash
  6. snap — to click
  7. shower — rain
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mate — a partner
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mate — a friend
  14. key — in music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bear — the animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mate — to breed
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  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