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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: land · mug · bass · deal · kick · rush · key · can

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bass — low music
  5. mug — a face
  6. key — in music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mug — to rob
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. land — a country
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rush — hurry
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — in football
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  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