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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. object — a thing
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stand — to bear
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lie — to recline
  14. present — a gift
  15. drill — the tool
  16. key — in music
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — an aim
  19. root — of a word
  20. object — to protest
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. present — the time now
  23. mark — a trace
  24. present — there

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