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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 116 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — all right
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. row — to paddle
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. row — a line
  16. bass — low music
  17. fine — high quality
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ball — a dance

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