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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. roll — a list
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rash — hasty
  7. march — music
  8. roll — a cake
  9. track — to keep track
  10. row — a line
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. row — to paddle
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. march — the month
  16. rash — a series
  17. key — in music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. pass — a permit
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. march — the month

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