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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: ground · rest · key · roll · firm · saw · rash · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ground — crushed
  3. key — the most important part
  4. roll — a list
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ground — the earth
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. key — in music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ground — a position
  13. firm — a company
  14. rash — a series
  15. firm — decided
  16. rash — hasty
  17. saw — the tool
  18. roll — a cake
  19. firm — steady
  20. pit — in a race
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. saw — the tool

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