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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fall — the season
  5. object — an aim
  6. key — in music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — a thing
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lean — thin
  14. object — to protest
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. key — for a lock
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lean — to rest against

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