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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bound — certain
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. key — the most important part
  6. kick — in football
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bark — to shout
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mark — a grade
  24. key — in music

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