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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. key — in music
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rash — hasty
  5. firm — a company
  6. wind — moving air
  7. cap — a hat
  8. firm — decided
  9. key — for a lock
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wind — moving air
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. key — the most important part
  17. roll — a cake
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — of ice
  21. roll — a list
  22. cap — a lid
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. fan — to cool the air

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