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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. track — a song
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — to bend
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. key — in music
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. content — the amount
  11. lie — to recline
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. content — happy
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. lean — thin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. track — a path
  22. track — to keep track
  23. drill — a practice
  24. safe — a strongbox

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