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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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. key — the most important part
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chest — a box
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a trace
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rash — a series
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — to handle

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