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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. net — for catching
  3. rest — what's left
  4. key — in music
  5. kick — in football
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rest — a break
  10. net — in sport
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. game — a match
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rest — what's left
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. net — after costs
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. key — the most important part

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