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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kick — in football
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. key — in music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. ruler — a monarch

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