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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
468
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: lean · clip · cap · deal · bark · spring · key · leaves

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  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. key — in music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bark — to shout
  5. clip — to cut
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. deal — to handle
  12. clip — a video
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. key — the most important part
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. cap — a lid
  19. clip — for paper
  20. spring — a coil
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. deal — an agreement
  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