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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.

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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 · pop · object · cabinet · toast · sharp · bear · wake

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pop — music
  5. toast — bread
  6. key — the most important part
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — to protest
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pop — to visit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. key — in music
  16. pop — soda
  17. object — an aim
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wake — a trail
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. object — a thing
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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