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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.

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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. last — final
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — for a lock
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — to go on
  10. pound — a weight
  11. ground — a position
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. key — in music
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. last — finally
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. key — the most important part

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