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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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 — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. mark — a trace
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — in music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — a division
  12. plane — a tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. track — a path
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. content — the amount
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pass — to succeed
  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