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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. shower — to wash
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mug — a cup
  5. court — of law
  6. shower — rain
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. key — for a lock
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. court — for sport
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — to point toward
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. court — of a king
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. mug — a face
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. face — part of the head
  24. key — the most important part

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