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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. key — in music
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. firm — decided
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. band — a music group
  14. key — the most important part
  15. net — in sport
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. band — a ring
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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