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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. track — a song
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. roll — a list
  7. key — the most important part
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fine — high quality
  10. roll — a cake
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. key — in music
  15. mine — for digging
  16. key — for a lock
  17. deal — to handle
  18. track — a path
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — to crush
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fine — all right
  24. lie — an untruth

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