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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. drill — army training
  3. key — the most important part
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rest — what's left
  18. kid — to tease
  19. drill — the tool
  20. dip — to sink
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kid — child
  24. leaves — lets stay

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