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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. key — in music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. file — a tool
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lie — to recline
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. file — a document
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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