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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. object — an aim
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. object — a thing
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chest — a box
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. key — in music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. chest — of your body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rest — a break
  14. key — for a lock
  15. kid — child
  16. chest — of your body
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rest — what's left
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. object — to protest
  23. branch — a division
  24. key — the most important part

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