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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. content — the amount
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — in music
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. track — a song
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — a path
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. key — the most important part
  20. content — happy
  21. lean — thin
  22. track — to keep track
  23. hand — help
  24. craft — boats

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