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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. suit — to fit
  7. key — for a lock
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cold — an illness
  10. fork — in a road
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. key — in music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cold — not warm
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fork — a garden tool

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