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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ball — a dance
  3. can — a tin
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lie — to recline
  7. key — in music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. field — farmland
  11. can — to be able to
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. field — for sport
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — the most important part
  22. field — a subject
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. key — for a lock

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