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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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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. staff — employees
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. net — for catching
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. net — after costs
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. staff — employees
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. club — a group
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. club — for golf
  21. staff — a stick
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mate — to breed
  24. key — the most important part

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