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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. face — to confront
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. hand — in cards
  6. craft — boats
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — a skill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. hand — help
  17. mug — to rob
  18. face — part of the head
  19. key — in music
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bowl — to roll

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