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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. key — in music
  6. rock — music
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. key — the most important part
  9. file — a document
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. file — a tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. can — a tin
  23. file — a line of people
  24. can — to be able to

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