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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · leaves · present · fine · suit · mine · scale · bat

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. present — there
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fine — all right
  7. suit — clothes
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. key — in music
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. suit — to fit
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — in cards
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mine — for digging
  20. present — the time now
  21. bat — the animal
  22. present — a gift
  23. scale — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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