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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bark — to shout
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rest — a break
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. foot — a measure
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. key — in music
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. vault — a safe

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