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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. shower — rain
  3. chip — to eat
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. key — the most important part
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. scale — in music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bear — the animal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. chip — for betting
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. key — in music
  24. chip — in a computer

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