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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 is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pop — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. present — there
  6. key — the most important part
  7. present — the time now
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pop — soda
  11. bat — the animal
  12. key — in music
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — employees
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pop — to visit
  20. present — a gift
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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