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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bass — low music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. present — a gift
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. present — the time now
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pound — a weight
  16. hand — help
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. key — in music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pit — a hole

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