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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fine — all right
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. game — a match
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fork — in a road
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. firm — decided
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. key — in music
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. snap — to click
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fine — high quality
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. game — wild animals
  24. firm — a company

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