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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — to bend
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cue — a signal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cue — a hint
  22. key — in music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. tear — to rip

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