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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. firm — decided
  3. spring — of water
  4. cue — a hint
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cue — for pool
  8. ground — a position
  9. cue — a signal
  10. firm — a company
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rest — a break
  13. spring — a coil
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ball — a great time
  16. key — the most important part
  17. spring — the season
  18. ground — the earth
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — what's left

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