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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. ball — a great time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hand — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. key — in music
  24. hand — help

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