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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. fork — in a road
  5. toast — bread
  6. drill — the tool
  7. race — the arms race
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. race — a contest
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. race — humankind
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  24. key — for a lock

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