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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.

Make a worksheet

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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. object — a thing
  3. key — in music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. hand — help
  7. object — an aim
  8. scale — in music
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. object — to protest
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hand — in cards
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. key — the most important part
  20. scale — size or range
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — to go away

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