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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pop — music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pop — to visit
  7. club — a group
  8. pop — soda
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — clothes
  12. face — to point toward
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. row — to paddle
  16. club — for dancing
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a match
  21. club — for golf
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. suit — to fit

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