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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cap — of ice
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. band — a music group
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mate — to breed
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. band — a ring
  21. key — in music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lash — an eyelash

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