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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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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. key — in music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chest — of your body
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pound — a weight
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chest — a box
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. chest — of your body

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