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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. swing — to play on
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — a phone
  10. swing — in golf
  11. present — the time now
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. swing — music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fine — high quality
  17. present — a gift
  18. key — in music
  19. present — there
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hand — help
  22. fine — all right
  23. hand — in cards
  24. cell — in a prison

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