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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 don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — the most important part
  4. net — after costs
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. pop — soda
  8. rock — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. net — for catching
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pop — music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rash — a series
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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