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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: saw · straw · mark · key · rush · stand · mate · spring

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — to bear
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mate — to breed
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — a trace
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mate — a friend
  24. key — the most important part

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