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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ground — a position
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ground — the earth
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chest — a box
  7. can — to be able to
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pop — to visit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chest — of your body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. can — a tin
  15. pop — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. can — a tin
  20. board — to get on
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — in music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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