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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. scale — size or range
  3. present — there
  4. key — in music
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wake — a trail
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. scale — in music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. key — the most important part

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