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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. present — a gift
  4. staff — employees
  5. clip — a video
  6. season — in sport
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mate — a friend
  11. season — of the year
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mate — a partner
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mug — a face
  19. staff — a stick
  20. kick — in football
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mate — to breed
  24. staff — employees

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