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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rash — a series
  3. lean — thin
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. key — the most important part
  9. firm — a company
  10. game — wild animals
  11. firm — decided
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — hasty
  20. firm — steady
  21. ball — a dance
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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