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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. dip — to sink
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. spell — magic
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. land — to come down
  14. bass — the fish
  15. craft — boats
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. land — a country
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. land — ground
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bass — the instrument

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