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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — in music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. court — of a king
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bear — the animal
  15. court — of law
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. branch — a division
  18. rule — government
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rule — a law
  23. court — for sport
  24. patient — a sick person

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