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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pop — soda
  5. lie — to recline
  6. tube — a container
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pop — music
  17. fine — all right
  18. tube — the underground
  19. track — a path
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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