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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — to come from
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — boats
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pop — to visit
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. key — in music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — to spend 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