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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kick — in football
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — for catching
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. craft — a skill
  9. track — to keep track
  10. net — after costs
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. key — for a lock
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. board — a committee
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. track — a path
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — boats
  24. track — a song

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