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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mug — a cup
  3. land — to come down
  4. bound — certain
  5. ground — a position
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mug — to rob
  9. land — a country
  10. mug — a face
  11. key — in music
  12. deal — to handle
  13. land — ground
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ground — crushed

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