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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. key — in music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. tube — a container
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pitch — completely
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wake — a trail
  10. tube — the underground
  11. club — for golf
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. club — a group
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cap — a hat

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