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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. net — in sport
  3. key — the most important part
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. squash — the sport
  8. sharp — clever
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. squash — to crush
  14. game — wild animals
  15. net — for catching
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. key — for a lock
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. game — a match
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. net — after costs
  24. mouse — the animal

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