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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. row — a line
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. key — in music
  7. face — to confront
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bear — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. key — for a lock
  12. charge — in control
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. game — wild animals
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. charge — a price
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to point toward
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. key — the most important part
  24. game — a match

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