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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. key — in music
  4. track — a path
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. track — to keep track
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — the amount
  9. deal — to handle
  10. key — for a lock
  11. content — happy
  12. fall — to drop
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. track — a song
  15. roll — a list
  16. can — a tin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fall — the season
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. key — the most important part
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. roll — a cake

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