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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. spring — of water
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wake — a trail
  6. spring — the season
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. object — a thing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. object — to protest
  15. season — of the year
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. season — in sport
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. foot — the bottom

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