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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rest — a break
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pop — to visit
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. key — the most important part
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rest — what's left
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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