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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. toast — bread
  3. tear — to rip
  4. track — a song
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. track — a path
  9. mine — for digging
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. firm — a company
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. track — to keep track
  20. firm — steady
  21. cell — a phone
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — decided
  24. toast — the most admired

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