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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. row — a line
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. row — to paddle
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. key — in music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. key — the most important part
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — a list
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bass — the fish
  24. jam — in traffic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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