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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. tear — from crying
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. key — in music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cell — in biology
  12. staff — employees
  13. face — to confront
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cell — a phone
  17. tear — to rip
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tear — from crying
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. key — the most important part
  24. face — to point toward

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