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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — to bear
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. key — in music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — to recline
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — a trail

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