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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rock — music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. object — to protest
  9. key — in music
  10. object — an aim
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bark — to shout
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rock — a stone
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. march — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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