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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. key — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rule — a law
  7. tear — to rip
  8. cell — a phone
  9. object — a thing
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cell — in biology
  12. object — to protest
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. key — for a lock
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tear — from crying
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. key — the most important part
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rule — government
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rule — to rule out

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