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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. key — in music
  3. ground — a position
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. rash — a series
  6. ground — crushed
  7. key — for a lock
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bat — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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