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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. key — in music
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. net — for catching
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bank — of a river
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bank — for money
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. net — in sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. mate — to breed
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mate — a partner
  22. net — after costs
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. sharp — exactly

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