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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.

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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: cold · key · last · wake · can · leaves · drill · suit

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. suit — clothes
  4. can — a tin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. cold — not warm
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. last — to go on
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. last — finally
  12. drill — army training
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. key — for a lock
  19. suit — to fit
  20. last — final
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. key — in music
  23. wake — a trail
  24. suit — in cards

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