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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ball — a dance
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. pit — in a race
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pit — a hole
  17. key — in music
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — decided
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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