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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. tear — to rip
  3. spell — letters
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spell — a short time
  7. lean — thin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lean — to bend
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pit — a hole
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. tear — from crying
  20. key — in music
  21. spell — magic
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. tear — from crying
  24. cap — a lid

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