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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 120 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: file · key · swing · land · hide · season · leaves · bore

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bore — to tire
  3. file — a document
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. file — a tool
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — ground
  10. season — in sport
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. land — a country
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. swing — in golf
  17. key — the most important part
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. key — for a lock
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. key — in music
  23. season — of the year
  24. file — a line of people

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