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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. firm — a company
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. spring — of water
  13. pass — a permit
  14. key — in music
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spell — letters
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. spring — the season
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. spell — a short time

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