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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. swing — music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — a price
  11. swing — to play on
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. key — for a lock
  15. scale — in music
  16. charge — in control
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. charge — electricity
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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