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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wake — a trail
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. key — in music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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