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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rule — government
  5. key — for a lock
  6. degree — from a university
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. roll — a list
  9. rule — a law
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. degree — temperature
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bank — of a river
  24. degree — an amount

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