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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: staff · hide · kid · rush · fan · snap · game · key

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — in music
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. kid — child
  13. key — for a lock
  14. snap — to click
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kid — to tease
  19. staff — employees
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. hide — animal skin

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