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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — in music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fall — the season
  8. bound — certain
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bound — tied together
  13. pound — a weight
  14. lean — thin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bound — obliged
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fall — to drop

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