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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. key — the most important part
  3. ball — a dance
  4. key — for a lock
  5. plane — a tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. drill — a practice
  8. key — in music
  9. ball — a great time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. craft — a skill
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — the tool
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. craft — boats
  23. drill — army training
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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