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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cap — a lid
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cap — a hat
  11. track — a path
  12. ground — a position
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ground — the earth
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cap — of ice
  20. track — a song
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. branch — a division
  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