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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. lie — to recline
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. date — the fruit
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. suit — in cards
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. suit — clothes
  24. capital — a city

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