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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bear — the animal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bear — the animal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stock — shares
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. key — in music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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