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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. key — for a lock
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — in music
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bound — tied together
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mug — a cup
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bound — certain
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. bank — for money
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mug — a face
  22. spell — magic
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bank — for money

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