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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 120 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cell — a phone
  4. last — to go on
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. last — finally
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bark — to shout
  17. last — final
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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