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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: leaves · saw · firm · key · kid · suit · clip · tube

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — in music
  3. firm — decided
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. firm — a company
  6. key — for a lock
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. saw — the tool
  11. clip — to cut
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. clip — for paper
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tube — the underground
  18. clip — a video
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. firm — steady
  21. key — the most important part
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. tube — a container
  24. suit — to fit

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