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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. can — to be able to
  3. key — in music
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. net — for catching
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. face — part of the head
  8. can — a tin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. net — in sport
  11. track — a song
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. key — for a lock
  16. net — after costs
  17. can — a tin
  18. face — to confront
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. face — to point toward

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