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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rest — a break
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. key — in music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — boats
  10. cold — not warm
  11. key — the most important part
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — a list
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cold — an illness
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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