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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. branch — a division
  10. band — a ring
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. band — a music group
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. sharp — clever
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. sharp — exactly

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