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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. key — in music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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