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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — a measure
  3. key — the most important part
  4. game — a match
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lie — to recline
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. game — wild animals
  14. craft — a skill
  15. current — of water
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. kick — in football
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. key — in music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. current — electric

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