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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 124 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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. spell — a short time
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. present — there
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rest — a break
  13. present — the time now
  14. rest — what's left
  15. file — a line of people
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. file — a document
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. key — the most important part
  21. present — a gift
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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