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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — for golf
  4. foot — a measure
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — a friend
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — for dancing
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mate — to breed
  21. can — to be able to
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. club — a group

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