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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.

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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. perch — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. branch — a division
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. tube — a container
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pass — a permit
  13. season — in sport
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — the underground
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. hide — to keep secret

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