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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. rock — music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. key — in music
  5. spring — of water
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rock — a stone
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spring — a coil
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lean — thin
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lean — to bend
  18. saw — the tool
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. spring — the season
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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