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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
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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: hide · march · sharp · key · bear · object · mate · hand

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hand — in cards
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. march — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. object — an aim
  15. sharp — clever
  16. hand — help
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — to protest
  24. mate — a friend

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