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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. content — happy
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. object — an aim
  14. bound — tied together
  15. press — to push
  16. bound — certain
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mate — a partner
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. content — the amount
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — obliged
  23. press — newspapers
  24. object — to protest

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