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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. deal — to handle
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. key — for a lock
  15. foot — a measure
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mine — for digging
  18. suit — clothes
  19. scale — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. key — in music

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