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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. net — in sport
  8. pop — music
  9. net — for catching
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rule — a law
  14. pop — soda
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pound — a weight
  17. roll — a list
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. net — after costs
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rule — to rule out

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