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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. land — a country
  5. key — for a lock
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. land — to come down
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rock — music
  12. land — ground
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fall — the season
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rock — a stone
  24. craft — a skill

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