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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fall — the season
  6. ball — a dance
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. can — a tin
  12. mate — a partner
  13. suit — in cards
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — for a lock
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — in music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mate — a friend
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a great time

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