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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. cell — in biology
  6. rock — music
  7. mate — a partner
  8. firm — a company
  9. saw — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — after costs
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — a friend
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. rock — a stone
  17. net — for catching
  18. key — in music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. net — in sport
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cell — a phone

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