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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bass — low music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bass — the fish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. board — to get on
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. key — in music
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rash — hasty
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. board — a committee
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rush — a thrill

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