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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. key — for a lock
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. charge — in control
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. key — in music
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. charge — electricity
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fork — to eat with

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