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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pop — music
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mate — a friend
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — soda
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ground — a position
  18. key — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ground — crushed

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