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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. key — for a lock
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. key — in music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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