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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. key — in music
  4. lean — thin
  5. object — an aim
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. object — to protest
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. toast — bread
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — a grade
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lean — to bend
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wind — moving air

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