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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. present — the time now
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — music
  10. present — there
  11. degree — an amount
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. key — the most important part
  14. kick — in football
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pound — a weight
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. degree — temperature
  22. rock — a stone
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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