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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rock — music
  3. track — a path
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. land — ground
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. toast — bread
  13. key — the most important part
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. land — a country
  17. key — in music
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wound — an injury
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. land — to come down

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