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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cold — not warm
  4. object — a thing
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — an aim
  8. key — for a lock
  9. field — farmland
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. field — a subject
  12. tear — from crying
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. field — for sport
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cold — an illness
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — to lash 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