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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.

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: leaves · mouse · present · ruler · pound · rush · key · track

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. present — there
  3. rush — hurry
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. key — in music
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. present — the time now
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — a song
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. present — a gift
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — a path

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