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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mate — a friend
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mate — to breed
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stock — shares
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. branch — a division
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stock — goods
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. key — for a lock

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