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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. key — in music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pit — a hole
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wind — moving air
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pop — soda
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pop — music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wind — moving air
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. date — on the calendar

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