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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — a break
  8. mark — a grade
  9. key — in music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rest — what's left
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — for a lock
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cap — of ice
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — a tool

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