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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spring — of water
  6. drill — the tool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. key — in music
  9. spring — the season
  10. drill — army training
  11. kid — to tease
  12. game — wild animals
  13. spring — a coil
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. kid — child
  16. drill — a practice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. game — a match
  20. wake — a trail
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. key — the most important part
  24. safe — a strongbox

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