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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rash — hasty
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ground — a position
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. ground — the earth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. key — the most important part
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rash — a series
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. key — in music

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