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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. staff — a stick
  6. object — a thing
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. staff — employees
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. object — to protest
  22. staff — employees
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bear — to put up with

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