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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. file — a document
  4. fine — high quality
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. degree — temperature
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lean — thin
  10. key — in music
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fine — all right
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lean — to bend
  22. file — a tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. file — a line of people

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