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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — in a race
  7. chest — of your body
  8. cue — a signal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cue — a hint
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chest — a box
  24. cue — for pool

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