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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fine — all right
  4. key — in music
  5. net — for catching
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stem — to come from
  8. net — in sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. net — after costs
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — the most important part
  23. can — to be able to
  24. shower — rain

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