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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. key — the most important part
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. object — a thing
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pop — to visit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pop — soda
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. object — an aim
  19. rule — a law
  20. pop — music
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rule — government
  23. sharp — clever
  24. key — in music

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