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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.

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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: dip · leaves · cell · lean · key · pass · bank · wound

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wound — an injury
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — the most important part
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. lean — thin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. key — in music

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