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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. key — the most important part
  5. season — in sport
  6. bear — the animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. file — a line of people
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. file — a tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. scale — size or range
  16. key — in music
  17. file — a document
  18. bear — the animal
  19. season — of the year
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. key — for a lock
  24. scale — in music

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