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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ground — the earth
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. dip — to sink
  6. content — happy
  7. content — the amount
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bass — the fish
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ground — a position
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bass — low music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ground — crushed
  24. dip — a sauce

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