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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. key — for a lock
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — for catching
  8. march — the month
  9. ground — a position
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — in cards
  12. key — the most important part
  13. net — after costs
  14. wind — moving air
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wind — moving air
  17. net — in sport
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. key — in music
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. march — the month

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