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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 · fork · nail · stand · bear · pop · ball · wake

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pop — music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wake — a trail
  24. ball — a great time

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