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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. roll — a list
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. key — for a lock
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wind — moving air
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rash — a series
  12. object — an aim
  13. key — in music
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lean — thin
  21. object — to protest
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bear — the animal
  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