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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bat — the animal
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. key — in music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — for a lock
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. squash — the sport

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