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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — for a lock
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. kid — child
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. toast — bread
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. kid — to tease
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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