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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bound — certain
  3. bear — the animal
  4. field — farmland
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chest — of your body
  10. staff — employees
  11. bound — tied together
  12. key — in music
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. key — for a lock
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. field — a subject
  19. staff — employees
  20. chest — of your body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. field — for sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bound — obliged

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