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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pit — in a race
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. key — for a lock
  7. deal — to handle
  8. kid — to tease
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. shower — to wash
  18. kid — child
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. ground — crushed

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