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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. club — for golf
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — in music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rest — what's left
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — to protest
  15. club — a group
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rest — a break
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. key — the most important part
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — a thing
  24. key — for a lock

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