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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. bound — certain
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bark — to shout
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. track — a path
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — a song
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — decided
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — a company
  24. deal — to handle

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