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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 116 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. firm — steady
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mug — a face
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. key — in music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — a company
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pitcher — a jug

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