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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · deal · ball · can · pop · kick · mate · cold

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. key — for a lock
  4. can — to be able to
  5. mate — to breed
  6. ball — a dance
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. pop — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — in music
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pop — soda
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pop — to visit
  19. deal — to handle
  20. can — a tin
  21. cold — not warm
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. kick — with a leg

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