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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.

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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. key — for a lock
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rest — a break
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. can — a tin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. key — the most important part
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — what's left
  16. key — in music
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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