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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bank — for money
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. scale — in music
  12. bank — of a river
  13. key — the most important part
  14. object — to protest
  15. key — for a lock
  16. cell — in biology
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. object — an aim
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. scale — size or range
  24. key — in music

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