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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. key — in music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. present — a gift
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. squash — to crush
  18. key — the most important part
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. squash — the sport
  24. trunk — of a tree

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