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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. suit — to fit
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — in music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rest — a break
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. suit — clothes
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rule — a law
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. sharp — clever

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