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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: key · chip · shower · stand · rock · leaves · straw · mark

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. shower — to wash
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — in music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stand — to bear
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mark — a grade
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. shower — rain

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