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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ground — crushed
  3. staff — employees
  4. net — for catching
  5. key — the most important part
  6. saw — the tool
  7. net — after costs
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pit — in a race
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ground — a position
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ground — the earth
  23. net — in sport
  24. bowl — a football final

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