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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mate — a friend
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. craft — boats
  7. pit — in a race
  8. craft — a skill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. land — ground
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. land — a country
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mate — to breed
  19. key — the most important part
  20. land — to come down
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mate — a partner

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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