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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. net — after costs
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. net — for catching
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. staff — employees
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. key — in music
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — all right
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. staff — a stick
  16. key — for a lock
  17. net — in sport
  18. staff — employees

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