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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: suit · tube · wind · leaves · rash · key · can · firm

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. firm — steady
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rash — hasty
  10. can — to be able to
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rash — a series
  13. key — in music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. can — a tin
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. can — a tin
  20. firm — a company
  21. key — for a lock
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. firm — decided

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