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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. key — for a lock
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fine — all right
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — in music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. date — the fruit
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. hand — help
  24. pit — in a race

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