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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lie — to recline
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. key — for a lock
  7. object — an aim
  8. kid — to tease
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. object — to protest
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. kid — child
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. object — a thing
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stand — to bear
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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