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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — in music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. present — the time now
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fine — high quality
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. snap — to click
  19. hand — in cards
  20. date — the fruit
  21. hand — help
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fine — all right
  24. key — for a lock

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