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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. band — a music group
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bear — the animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pop — soda
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pop — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — in music
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fork — in a road
  22. roll — a list
  23. suit — in cards
  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