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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. key — in music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — electric
  9. rest — a break
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rest — what's left
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bore — to drill
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bore — to tire
  22. current — happening now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. current — of water

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