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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. season — in sport
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wind — moving air
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. key — for a lock
  10. board — to get on
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. board — a committee
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. season — of the year
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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