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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. tube — a container
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pop — music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. chair — a leader
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. toast — bread
  22. pop — soda
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. branch — a division

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