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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 120 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. current — of water
  16. branch — a division
  17. key — in music
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. current — happening now
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. current — electric

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