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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. key — in music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. firm — a company
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. firm — steady
  8. present — the time now
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — an aim
  11. key — the most important part
  12. squash — the sport
  13. key — for a lock
  14. object — a thing
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mark — a grade
  23. squash — to crush
  24. object — to protest

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