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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. key — the most important part
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rash — hasty
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cap — of ice
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — a series
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a song
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cap — a hat
  18. track — to keep track
  19. can — to be able to
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. key — in music

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