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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · spring · arm · leaves · key · mine · rash · pitch

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. spring — a coil
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. spring — of water
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mine — for digging
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — in music
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pitch — completely
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. spring — the season
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rash — hasty
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mine — belonging to me

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