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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bound — tied together
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bat — the animal
  8. can — to be able to
  9. branch — a division
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. deal — to handle
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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