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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ground — a position
  5. key — in music
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pit — in a race
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wind — moving air
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fine — all right
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mouse — the animal

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