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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · key · foot · object · tear · stand · press · fork

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. foot — a measure
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. press — to push
  12. object — an aim
  13. tear — to rip
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. fork — in a road
  16. object — to protest
  17. press — newspapers
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. object — a thing
  22. key — in music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. press — a publisher

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