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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — high quality
  9. file — a line of people
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fine — all right
  13. wind — moving air
  14. key — in music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. file — a document
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wind — moving air
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. file — a tool
  24. pass — a permit

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