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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — clever
  6. key — the most important part
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. perch — the fish
  10. key — in music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — a price
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mark — a trace
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mark — a grade
  22. charge — in control
  23. dip — to sink
  24. key — for a lock

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