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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. can — a tin
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. tear — from crying
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. craft — boats
  9. tear — to rip
  10. key — the most important part
  11. lean — to bend
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. lean — thin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. branch — a division
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. craft — a skill
  22. tear — from crying
  23. root — of a word
  24. lean — to rest against

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