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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — in football
  4. key — for a lock
  5. last — finally
  6. last — final
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rest — a break
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pit — a hole
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — a division
  16. last — to go on
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. key — in music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. tube — a container
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. kick — with a leg

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