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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. kick — in football
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. swing — in golf
  8. key — the most important part
  9. swing — music
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rest — a break
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rest — what's left
  24. prune — to trim

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