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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. board — a committee
  9. rest — a break
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. key — the most important part
  19. snap — to click
  20. key — in music
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. board — to get on
  23. mine — for digging
  24. perch — for a bird

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