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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. key — for a lock
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. degree — an amount
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. key — in music
  14. content — happy
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. degree — temperature
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. degree — from a university
  23. content — the amount
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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