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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. key — in music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. spring — the season
  5. club — for golf
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. track — a song
  8. rash — hasty
  9. key — the most important part
  10. track — a path
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bound — tied together
  17. spring — of water
  18. rash — a series
  19. club — for dancing
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. club — a group
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bound — certain

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