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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bear — the animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. key — the most important part
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. track — a path
  24. bear — to put up with

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