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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. track — a song
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. squash — the sport
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. march — the month
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mug — a cup
  13. key — for a lock
  14. track — to keep track
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. track — a path
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. march — music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mug — to rob
  21. sharp — clever
  22. key — the most important part
  23. march — the month
  24. squash — to crush

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