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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mug — a face
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mug — a cup
  9. season — in sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cue — for pool
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. key — for a lock
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. key — in music
  23. season — of the year
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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