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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. key — in music
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cap — of ice
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cap — a hat
  17. club — for golf
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mate — to breed
  23. club — a group
  24. wake — before a funeral

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