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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. key — for a lock
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bass — low music
  6. object — a thing
  7. suit — in cards
  8. object — an aim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — to protest
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rush — hurry
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bass — the fish

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