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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. key — the most important part
  4. shower — to wash
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — soda
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. firm — decided
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pop — to visit
  12. shower — rain
  13. firm — steady
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — child
  16. bank — of a river
  17. key — in music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — a company
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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