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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — for a lock
  7. can — to be able to
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a great time
  10. spell — letters
  11. mark — a grade
  12. date — the fruit
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spell — magic
  15. key — the most important part
  16. band — a music group
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. spell — a short time
  19. snap — to click
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. can — a tin
  24. band — a ring

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