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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · mark · key · leaves · pass · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — high quality
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. key — in music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade

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