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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. key — for a lock
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fine — all right
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chest — a box
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. dip — to sink
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. suit — in cards
  24. key — in music

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