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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: hide · leaves · spring · key · deal · coach · present · track

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. present — there
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spring — of water
  9. key — for a lock
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — a gift
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. deal — to handle
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. track — a path
  22. present — the time now
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. key — in music

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