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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pop — soda
  3. can — a tin
  4. rash — a series
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rash — hasty
  17. key — the most important part
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — for a lock
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — in music
  24. pop — music

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