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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 120 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bark — to shout
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. staff — employees
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rock — music
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. rock — a stone
  17. key — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. key — the most important part
  20. kick — in football
  21. key — for a lock
  22. file — a tool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. staff — a stick

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