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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. spell — magic
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. key — for a lock
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — a short time
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cabinet — ministers

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