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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — of water
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a path
  7. march — the month
  8. key — in music
  9. march — the month
  10. key — for a lock
  11. march — music
  12. track — to keep track
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. spell — letters
  15. key — the most important part
  16. track — a song
  17. current — electric
  18. lie — to recline
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. current — happening now
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cabinet — ministers

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