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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ground — the earth
  6. branch — a division
  7. ground — crushed
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. firm — steady
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. ground — a position
  24. snap — to click

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