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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. can — a tin
  10. land — ground
  11. key — in music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. squash — to crush
  21. land — a country
  22. bear — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rush — to hurry

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