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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spring — a coil
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. tube — the underground
  8. spring — of water
  9. tube — a container
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. dip — to sink
  15. staff — a stick
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spring — the season
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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