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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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468
Word bank
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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. charge — electricity
  8. dip — to sink
  9. land — to come down
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pound — a weight
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wind — moving air
  18. charge — a price
  19. land — ground
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. charge — in control
  22. wind — moving air
  23. key — for a lock
  24. land — a country

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