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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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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: wound · key · mate · pit · lie · tear · fine · leaves

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pit — in a race
  4. tear — to rip
  5. lie — to recline
  6. tear — from crying
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mate — to breed
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — all right
  16. tear — from crying
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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