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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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. file — a line of people
  7. key — in music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bank — for money
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. file — a document
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — crushed
  17. chest — of your body
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chest — a box
  21. bank — of a river
  22. file — a tool
  23. ground — a position
  24. fan — to cool the air

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