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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bear — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — in music
  11. bass — low music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. spring — of water
  14. stock — shares
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stock — goods
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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