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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — bread
  4. key — for a lock
  5. capital — a city
  6. rash — a series
  7. chair — a leader
  8. track — a song
  9. key — in music
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. capital — money
  20. track — a path
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rash — hasty

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