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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. object — to protest
  5. key — in music
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bank — for money
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. prune — to trim
  12. key — for a lock
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. snap — to click
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — of a river
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fine — all right

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