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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rest — a break
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — to bear
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. key — in music

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