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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · fan · lie · kick · cabinet · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. key — the most important part
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. 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