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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. track — to keep track
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tear — to rip
  6. mate — to breed
  7. tear — from crying
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. vault — a safe
  11. tear — from crying
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. track — a path
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. foot — a measure
  16. track — a song
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. object — a thing
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. object — an aim
  23. key — in music
  24. object — to protest

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