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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. key — for a lock
  10. face — to point toward
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. key — in music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rash — a series
  17. face — part of the head
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bound — obliged
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. rash — hasty
  22. face — to confront
  23. drill — the tool
  24. key — the most important part

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