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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. key — in music
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pit — a hole
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. can — to be able to
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. lean — thin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lean — to bend
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — a tin
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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