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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fork — in a road
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. key — the most important part
  17. game — a match
  18. rule — government
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. key — for a lock
  21. swing — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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