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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. key — in music
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. wind — moving air
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pit — in a race
  20. current — electric
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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