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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fork — in a road
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pop — soda
  7. key — in music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pop — music
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rash — a series
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pop — to visit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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