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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. last — to go on
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. branch — a division
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pop — soda
  11. last — final
  12. pop — music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. last — finally
  22. cell — a phone
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. key — in music

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