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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — completely
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bass — low music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — decided
  10. key — in music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. firm — a company
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bark — to shout

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