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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bound — obliged
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. bound — certain
  15. mark — a grade
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — a trace
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bound — tied together
  22. key — in music
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — a tool

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