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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. last — finally
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ground — a position
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ground — the earth
  12. toast — bread
  13. last — final
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. key — in music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fall — the season
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rock — music
  24. ground — crushed

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