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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. firm — a company
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. firm — steady
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. roll — a list
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — in cards
  11. club — for golf
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. roll — a cake
  15. club — for dancing
  16. firm — decided
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. toast — bread
  22. hand — help
  23. club — a group
  24. fork — in a road

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