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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bat — the animal
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — the most important part
  8. field — farmland
  9. bear — the animal
  10. field — a subject
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. key — in music
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. field — for sport
  24. deal — a big deal

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