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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bear — the animal
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. plane — a tool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mark — a grade
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. key — for a lock
  12. date — the fruit
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. key — in music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mark — a trace
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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