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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. toast — bread
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. clip — a video
  7. key — for a lock
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — in music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. clip — for paper
  17. pass — a permit
  18. clip — to cut
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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