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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lean — thin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — the most important part
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. key — in music
  18. press — a publisher
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tear — to rip
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. press — to push

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