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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. kid — child
  5. hand — help
  6. key — in music
  7. pop — soda
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. rash — a series
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — music
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fan — a supporter

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