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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. last — finally
  3. key — for a lock
  4. net — in sport
  5. last — to go on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. net — for catching
  8. key — the most important part
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — a group
  14. can — a tin
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. club — for dancing
  19. last — final
  20. net — after costs
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. club — for golf

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