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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 120 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. chest — a box
  3. pop — to visit
  4. suit — to fit
  5. craft — a skill
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. key — for a lock
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. craft — boats
  16. can — a tin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pop — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. game — a match
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — soda
  23. suit — clothes
  24. can — to be able to

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