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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. key — in music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bound — certain
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bound — tied together
  16. squash — to crush
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bound — obliged
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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