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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pit — a hole
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — the most important part
  7. present — there
  8. wind — moving air
  9. present — a gift
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. land — ground
  16. present — the time now
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. land — a country
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. key — in music

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