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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. staff — employees
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. land — to come down
  6. staff — a stick
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. toast — bread
  11. land — a country
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kid — to tease
  14. land — ground
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kid — child
  17. key — in music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. key — the most important part
  20. suit — clothes
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. face — to confront
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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