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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. key — the most important part
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lean — thin
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lean — to bend
  15. saw — the tool
  16. key — in music
  17. spring — the season
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. spring — of water
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spring — a coil
  24. suit — to fit

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