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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: key · mark · deal · kick · stick · chest · leaves · object

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mark — a trace
  4. object — a thing
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. object — to protest
  12. chest — of your body
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. object — an aim
  16. mark — a grade
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. kick — in football
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. chest — a box
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. deal — to handle

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