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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. object — a thing
  3. key — the most important part
  4. staff — employees
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. lean — thin
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. key — in music
  9. object — an aim
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — to bend
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — a stick
  16. object — to protest
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. branch — a division
  20. kick — in football
  21. staff — employees
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rest — a break
  24. bowl — a football final

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