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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rest — a break
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bound — tied together
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. last — final
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rock — music
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rest — what's left
  21. key — in music
  22. fall — the season
  23. bound — obliged
  24. hide — to keep secret

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