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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 120 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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468
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. key — for a lock
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — in football
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. key — in music
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wind — moving air
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. tube — a container
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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