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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. key — in music
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rash — a series
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rash — hasty
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mark — a grade
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. drill — army training
  22. firm — decided
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kick — in football

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