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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — in music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. object — to protest
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — government
  16. object — an aim
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. firm — steady
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. firm — decided
  24. rule — a law

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