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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. capital — money
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pass — a permit
  14. capital — a city
  15. key — for a lock
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — in music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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