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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. club — for golf
  4. ground — a position
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — a group
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wake — a trail
  20. club — for dancing
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. cap — a lid

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