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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · net · rush · key · perch · pop · toast · fine

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fine — all right
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. net — after costs
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pop — to visit
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. net — for catching
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. dip — to sink
  17. key — in music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. net — in sport
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fine — high quality
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. toast — bread

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