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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. club — for dancing
  6. net — in sport
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pound — a weight
  11. key — the most important part
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ball — a dance
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rest — what's left
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rest — a break
  24. leaves — to go away

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