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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. last — final
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cap — a lid
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. last — to go on
  7. key — in music
  8. last — finally
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cap — a hat
  12. key — for a lock
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spell — letters
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

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