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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: key · tube · rash · leaves · bat · rest · mouse · cap

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rest — a break
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rash — a series
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — a container
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. key — in music
  24. rash — hasty

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