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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. kid — child
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. court — of law
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. key — in music
  11. kid — to tease
  12. lie — to recline
  13. court — for sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stand — to bear
  17. court — of a king
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rush — to hurry

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