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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. land — a country
  4. key — the most important part
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — to come down
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. land — ground
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. bat — the animal
  13. rock — music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rock — a stone
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rock — to move gently

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