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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. object — to protest
  4. stock — shares
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. swing — music
  7. net — for catching
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — in golf
  10. object — a thing
  11. lie — to recline
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. object — an aim
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stock — goods
  20. swing — to play on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. foot — a measure

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