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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — a break
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. key — the most important part
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fall — to drop
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fall — the season
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fall — to drop
  24. cabinet — ministers

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