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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. chest — of your body
  5. march — the month
  6. chest — a box
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. squash — to crush
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — the fish
  14. squash — the sport
  15. march — music
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bass — low music
  18. root — of a word
  19. key — in music
  20. root — the cause
  21. march — the month
  22. fine — high quality
  23. object — to protest
  24. squash — the vegetable

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