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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mug — a face
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. capital — a city
  9. rash — a series
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. capital — money
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lean — thin
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. key — in music
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. march — music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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