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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rest — a break
  10. pound — a weight
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. mine — an explosive

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