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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. tube — a container
  11. key — in music
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bound — tied together
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bound — certain
  24. key — the most important part

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