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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bear — the animal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. file — a tool
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — a trail
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. file — a document
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. file — a line of people

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