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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. key — in music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pop — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. sharp — clever
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — soda
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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