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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.

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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. band — a music group
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mug — a face
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. track — a song
  8. band — a ring
  9. key — the most important part
  10. track — a path
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. perch — the fish
  19. key — in music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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