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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. chair — a leader
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. track — a song
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — in music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wound — an injury
  15. track — a path
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. track — to keep track
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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