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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
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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: mouse · leaves · spring · saw · bound · hide · key · drill

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bound — tied together
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bound — certain
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. spring — of water
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. drill — army training
  20. key — in music
  21. spring — the season
  22. bound — obliged
  23. drill — a practice
  24. saw — the tool

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