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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stock — goods
  3. fall — the season
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. key — in music
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bound — certain
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. bound — tied together
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pass — a permit

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