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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. content — happy
  13. firm — decided
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitch — completely

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