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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: fork · fine · object · rock · leaves · saw · cap · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fine — all right
  8. cap — a hat
  9. object — a thing
  10. fine — high quality
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cap — of ice
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cap — a lid
  20. object — an aim
  21. fork — in a road
  22. object — to protest
  23. key — the most important part
  24. saw — the tool

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