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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cue — for pool
  14. key — in music
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. foot — a measure
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mark — a trace
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — a hint
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rash — a series

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