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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — the most important part
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bear — the animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. roll — a list
  17. content — the amount
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ball — a dance
  20. key — in music
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. content — happy

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