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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. key — in music
  3. chest — of your body
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. suit — clothes
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lean — to bend
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — thin

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