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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. shower — rain
  7. firm — decided
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. track — to keep track
  10. firm — steady
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bass — low music
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — a path
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. shower — to wash
  24. key — in music

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