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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. fine — all right
  5. object — to protest
  6. fine — high quality
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. object — an aim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. key — in music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — a lid
  16. object — a thing
  17. cap — a hat
  18. branch — a division
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. cap — of ice
  21. key — the most important part
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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