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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. race — humankind
  4. key — for a lock
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rule — a law
  13. race — the arms race
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. key — in music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — government
  23. face — part of the head
  24. race — a contest

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