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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to point toward
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pop — to visit
  9. face — to confront
  10. key — for a lock
  11. land — ground
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pop — soda
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rest — a break
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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