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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — the fish
  11. face — to confront
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. key — in music
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bat — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — the most important part

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