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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pitcher · bear · snap · stock · squash · suit · pass

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. key — the most important part
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. key — in music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stock — goods
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pitcher — a jug

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