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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. key — for a lock
  8. drill — a practice
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cap — a hat
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. roll — a cake
  15. drill — army training
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rock — music
  18. cap — of ice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. roll — a list
  24. cap — a lid

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