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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — a list
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — completely
  5. land — to come down
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. land — a country
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. band — a music group
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bank — for money
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. key — in music
  22. band — a ring
  23. land — ground
  24. bear — the animal

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