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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pit — a hole
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. key — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rash — hasty
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rash — a series
  18. firm — a company
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. firm — decided
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. firm — steady
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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