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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. key — the most important part
  3. root — of a word
  4. sharp — clever
  5. key — for a lock
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. board — to get on
  10. lean — to bend
  11. root — the cause
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. root — of a plant
  14. board — a committee
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. key — in music
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. vault — a safe
  20. kid — child
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. kid — to tease
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. foot — a measure

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