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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. spell — magic
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — to eat
  14. key — in music
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — a stone
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chip — for betting
  24. spell — letters

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