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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. key — in music
  3. object — to protest
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. key — the most important part
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. present — a gift
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. object — an aim
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. snap — to click
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. mark — a grade
  18. present — the time now
  19. lean — thin
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. present — there
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lean — to bend

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