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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. tear — to rip
  3. mug — a face
  4. court — for sport
  5. face — to confront
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. key — for a lock
  8. face — to point toward
  9. court — of law
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. squash — the sport
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mug — a cup
  14. key — the most important part
  15. court — of a king
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — bread
  19. face — part of the head
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mug — to rob
  22. squash — to crush
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. tear — from crying

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