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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. key — in music
  4. mark — a trace
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. deal — to handle
  19. key — for a lock
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bear — to put up with

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