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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — in music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. key — for a lock
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. spring — the season
  12. present — a gift
  13. spring — of water
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. present — there
  19. spring — a coil
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. dip — to sink
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. present — the time now
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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