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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. tube — a container
  4. key — in music
  5. bass — low music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bass — the fish
  9. march — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. dip — to sink
  12. present — the time now
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. present — a gift
  15. march — the month
  16. key — for a lock
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — there
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. march — the month
  24. suit — in cards

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