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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. spell — a short time
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. degree — temperature
  13. lean — thin
  14. bank — for money
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — for a lock
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. spell — magic
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bank — of a river
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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