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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. key — the most important part
  5. firm — steady
  6. kick — in football
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. firm — a company
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. object — a thing
  13. key — for a lock
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. key — in music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. object — to protest

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