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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — in music
  4. clip — for paper
  5. ground — a position
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. clip — to cut
  12. track — a path
  13. cue — a hint
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ground — crushed
  16. track — a song
  17. key — the most important part
  18. clip — a video
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. key — for a lock
  23. track — to keep track
  24. suit — in cards

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