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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mate — to breed
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — shares
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stock — goods
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mate — a partner
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — in music
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — letters

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