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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lean — thin
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. key — the most important part
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. branch — a division
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stand — to bear
  12. plane — a tool
  13. key — for a lock
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. season — in sport
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. key — in music
  24. mouse — the animal

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