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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.

Make a worksheet

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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. band — a ring
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. band — a music group
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — in music
  16. branch — a division
  17. rest — a break
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rest — what's left
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bear — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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