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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. key — the most important part
  3. plane — a tool
  4. face — to point toward
  5. key — for a lock
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mate — a friend
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mate — to breed
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mate — a partner
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — part of the head
  19. swing — in golf
  20. key — in music
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. sharp — clever
  23. swing — to play on
  24. deal — a big deal

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